


Matrimony

by L0NE



Category: Nier Gestalt | Nier
Genre: Other, Takes place before the facade wedding, body issues, has headcanons, kaine learning to overcome said body issues, kaine thinkin about marriage, please love kaine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-21
Updated: 2017-08-21
Packaged: 2018-12-18 03:34:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11865810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/L0NE/pseuds/L0NE
Summary: “(Kainé, have you gotten married yet?)”The question made Kainé freeze in her tracks and Weiss scoff as he translated (she made a note to punch him for that later).





	Matrimony

The prince of Façade was getting married.

 

The news was interesting to receive for a number of reasons.

 

One, it meant he still felt indebted to Nier and the rest of the group after what they had done a few years ago to make sure he gave them invitations. Not to mention he spoke so casually with them in the invite— it was like they had been friends for life.

 

Two, the prince was younger than Kainé herself and yet he was being wed. Was young marriage is a tradition in Façade? If so, that meant the person he would marry would be around his age, wouldn’t it? As the group read the invite, they thought of who he could possibly be marrying, their minds going back to that one girl… But they weren’t quite sure, so no one said anything.

 

Three, receiving an invite also meant they were expected to _attend_. Which was possibly the most difficult part, especially considering the circumstances. Going to a wedding in a foreign place, where you didn’t know the customs, didn't know the language, and didn’t know more than two people? Most wouldn’t want to rise to that occasion.

 

But _of course_ Nier would immediately drop everything to attend— he was just that type of guy.

 

The type of guy that made Kainé frustrated with his willingness to do things. The type of guy who was way too nice for his own good, dishing out way too much on some gift that he didn’t even let Kainé, Emil, or Weiss see because he knew they “would have a fit” over how much money he must have laid out for it.

 

 

 

 

The type of guy who seemed really nostalgic when it came to talking about his own wedding…

 

 

 

 

“What was your wife like, Nier?” Emil asked as they were well into the desert, the group of four briskly making their way to the city at the heart of it. Kainé hated the sand that would get in her heels and bandages and was annoyed beyond what was considered a normal level, so any form of conversation to distract her from the situation was welcome, and Emil most likely knew that. Besides, he had been acting giddy all day since this was _his first ever wedding_ , and couldn’t wait to ask questions.

 

Nier laughed, amused by the sudden inquiry, “You really wanna know? ...Strong, but really docile, and kind of petite, too. Yonah’s the splitting image of her when she was younger,” He kicked up sand unintentionally as he walked, “Kind of like an elk, if you had to compare her to something. I’m not one for words, but I guess that’d be something like ‘majestic’?”

 

“Holy shit, you’re comparing your wife to an animal.” Kainé said, tossing an extra knife they had in inventory at a wolf that had been stalking nearby and pinning it to the ground through its neck, then grinning to herself. The wolves that populated the desert were so high in number after five years that it was troublesome to navigate without running into a few. May as well take care of a couple while there was a chance.

 

Weiss sighed, “Kainé, you never cease to amaze me with how thick-headed you can truly be. Such comparison is a compliment, though I’m not quite sure you know what that is.” The book swerved around Kainé’s head like a fly, and she nearly stabbed him with another knife.

 

Nier shook it off, “It’s no big deal. But she was really something. She died a little after Yonah was born, but when she was alive and held her close, they almost looked like a painting. It was unreal, kind of breathtaking.” He reached for his spear when he saw the shapes of three wolves approaching from their right, but remained calm, slowed his pace, and continued his story, “On the night of our wedding at our celebration, she got piss-drunk and nearly ripped her wedding gown to make it into a ‘warrior outfit’. Said she wanted to go boar-hunting with me. Devola and Popola had to hold her back from destroying the whole thing.”

 

The memory seemed odd and borderline ridiculous, and Kainé was about to ask what the hell was up with his wife, but the smile on his face made her stop the words from leaving her mouth.

 

  

Ah. She must have really been something.

 

 

There wasn’t too much time to speculate more about the mystery woman, because the beasts that stalked them began to rapidly close in. Kainé took hold of her actual weapons, which she’d strapped to her back, and nudged Emil, who summoned his staff.

 

As the four of them charged forward to disperse the pack that was now quickly approaching, Emil called out, “Did you guys actually go boar-hunting that night? That sounds fun!” He floated alongside Nier, putting his weapon out in front of him protectively.

 

The man’s face faltered, and he looked away, “Well, the rest of the story of that night isn’t for kids.” Kainé swore he was blushing, but his eyepatch was covering up his face too much for her to tell properly.

 

Emil gasped, “Woah, did it get that violent?”

 

Kainé groaned, “Oh, my fuckin’ God, Nier, I never want to even imagine anything like what you’re implying—”

 

“Can we _please_ focus?” Weiss snapped, and the group decided to drop the conversation and direct their attention to their targets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
Now, killing things was what didn’t frustrate Kainé. It had the opposite effect, truly. It was what kept her alive in the most real sense, it made her blood rush and her head spin with euphoria. Nothing made her feel better when it came to suffering in the heat than beating the crap out of some hostile enemies. Hell, even when they were done with the three that approached them, Kainé veered off to the side to chase around other wolves, lashing out like a true villain.

 

It admittedly made her a bit sad when she came to her senses following her little excursions and saw that they were already at the gates of Façade, its opening wide in anticipation of their arrival. Protesting against Emil’s tug and Weiss’s bickering, she refused to go inside the city and let the group go ahead of her, Nier especially looking disgruntled by her decision. She brushed this off, however, and leaned against the stone entrance, staring at the mess of sand where they’d come from. Even if she was properly invited, it just felt wrong for her to be there now just like it did five years ago. Especially with such a fancy event occurring.

 

She stared down at her lingerie, propping her weapons against the wall she leaned against.

 

Yeah, _especially_ with such a fancy event occurring.

 

She’d been outside for no more than thirty minutes and figuring out how she’d set up camp for the night as she waited when she heard footsteps coming from behind her. Before she had time to react properly, someone had grabbed her from the side, wrapping both arms around her waist in what appeared to be… A hug?

 

Kainé grunted, trying to crane her neck, “Oh, what the—”

 

“No profanities, hussy. Not in front of the queen.”

 

The one who grabbed hold of her let go, and Kainé whipped around to see a young girl standing in front of her, waving, along with Weiss floating beside her. Before she could say anything, the girl moved her hands and Weiss translated, “(Hi, Kainé! It’s me, Fyra! I told the prince that if you weren’t coming, the entire wedding would be canceled, which nearly went against a rule, so I had that rule amended. Why don’t you come up to the castle with me? I’d love for you to be at my wedding.)”

 

Needless to say, Kainé was definitely stunned.

 

For multiple reasons, really. Fyra growing up, Fyra being the one getting married on top of becoming a queen, and not to mention Fyra being clever enough to able to play with the prince’s heart and bend Façade’s rules ever so slightly.

 

  

Damn, if she wasn’t impressed.

  

 

Kainé grabbed her weapons, strapped them to her back, and let Fyra lead the way, patting her on the back, which made the girl clap her hands in glee.

 

While they made toward the castle, Kainé was treated like first class royalty with Fyra by her side. Every citizen they passed stopped to bow for their new queen (which was in accordance to rule #143, Fyra said), the royal guards stalked them in the distance (part of rule #97, Fyra told her), and they soon entered through the castle’s front gates (something only royalty could do as established by rule #23, but a newer rule, rule #8964, said commoners could do it as long as royalty was with them, Fyra explained). Listening to all the numbers and rules made Kainé’s head spin, and the high ceilings and intricate patterns of the opening hall only made her head hurt more.

 

Fyra did talk about other things thankfully, such as the five years Kainé missed out on. She learned that Fyra and the prince became friends soon after Nier had saved him, which quickly escalated into a romance, and he proposed fairly recently.

 

“(Everything is so exciting.)” Fyra said, and Kainé said nothing, so she continued, strolling leisurely through the castle interior and making her way to the end of the open hall, “(The prince told me long ago he would marry me. I had thought it was a joke, or an exaggeration, but a month ago, he took me by the hand and asked me. I nearly cried, which would have gone against rule #618! But I was very happy. In my heart I knew it was fate.)”

 

Kainé stared at her, intrigued. “You ready to be a queen?” The three were now ascending stairs that would lead to the quarters where the rest of the invited group would be sleeping that night. In accordance with rule #something or other, Kainé had to let Fyra proceed ahead of her, so she could only see the back of her body now.

 

Fyra nodded, Weiss struggling to translate what she was saying from the back of her, “(Of course. When I fell in love with him after meeting him those years ago, part of my heart was already prepared for this role. Our marriage will simply confirm this, along with our love.)”

 

Her words took Kainé aback, and she spent a bit mulling over what she said. “...You matured a lot after all this time.” She murmured, in far too much awe of the girl in front of her. She doubted she could come up with words with half that meaning in twice the time.

 

At the top of the stairs was a multitude of doors, and Fyra gestured to the first one on Kainé’s right, indicating she was to go that way. However, before opening the door, she stopped to ask,

 

 

 

 

“(Kainé, have you gotten married yet?)”

 

 

 

 

The question made Kainé freeze in her tracks and Weiss scoff as he translated (she made a note to punch him for that later).

 

By “freeze in her tracks”, Kainé quite literally froze in place, unable to move. She had no idea why she was so startled by the question. Was she embarrassed? Confused? To be honest, an entire wave of emotions was clouding her mind, a chill going over her as she scrambled to recollect herself. Sadly, she didn’t couldn’t quite get her focus back in time, so the only thing she could spit out in such a moment was;

 

“Uh, no.”

 

Which sounded _really tactful_.

 

Completely unfazed by Kainé’s change in disposition, Fyra clapped her hands together. “(Oh, what a shame! You are such a wonderful woman! Please invite me and the prince to your special day when you celebrate it.)” And, before Kainé could reply, Fyra opened the door and stepped to the side, and by rule #whatever Kainé and Weiss were required to enter without word. It had something to do with Fyra being royalty now, and Kainé wasn’t about to break the law so soon after getting inside Façade again.

 

So, they did just that, and the upcoming queen quietly closed the door behind them, leaving Kainé in an entirely different train of thought.

 

The night proceeded just fine despite the conversation just held. Weiss didn’t bring up what Fyra said again, and Kainé forgot to punch him like she planned. The entire group discovered they had arrived too late for dinner, which wasn’t necessarily a problem, since none of them were particularly hungry, and they insisted that they would be alright to the prince. They began to get ready for bed without much trouble, Nier reassuring Kainé about her insecurities regarding her staying in the castle instead of being outside, which was appreciated, but she was still the first of the group to retire to her room.

 

Emil, Nier, and Weiss would be sharing a room to sleep in, and Kaine had her own, which was plenty spacious and made her feel almost overwhelmed. She couldn’t think of the last time she had rested on a proper bed or had seen a private bathroom so polished and beautiful, and almost had a heart attack when she sat on her bed’s edge and sunk into it.

 

She bathed, washed her clothes, changed into a nightgown already hung for her in the room’s closet, and jumped onto the king sized bed without so much as a word, her mind almost totally blank. She hadn’t realized how tired she was from fighting and trudging through the desert, and she could barely handle thinking.

 

Well, that wasn’t entirely true. There was one thing on her mind that rang out as she attempted to go to sleep...

 

 

  

_“(Kainé, have you gotten married yet?)”_

 

 

 

Frustrated, she grabbed a soft, cotton pillow and threw it onto her face, groaning. Why was this haunting her?! She felt like a damn fool.

 

**_What’s wrong, sunshine?_ **

 

Oh, great. Kainé rolled over in bed, Tyrann’s voice being the last thing she wanted to hear when she wanted to sleep. “Nothing.” She said, her voice muffled by the pillow she held to her face.

 

_**You’re actin’ like a fuckin’ schoolgirl gettin’ confessed to at graduation day.** _

 

“That’s really specific, and, also, fuck off.”

 

**_“Oh, Fyra, will I ever find true love? A man to hold me and never let me go? To love me ‘til I die? Oh, Fyra, I just don’t know!”_ **

 

Kainé’s face began to burn with embarrassment and anger at Tyrann’s mocking, and she threw the bedsheets she had kicked off of herself before over her head. “I’m sleeping now!” She yelled at him, and he laughed, yet didn’t speak any more beyond that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
Sleeping was such a futile effort.

 

Kainé couldn’t sleep more than a few hours, and woke up in a semi-daze, her mind too awake to sleep but her body too tired to get up. She really did enjoy laying in an actual bed, she realized after she eventually forced herself to get up, her body crying out for the soft mattress, but knew she would do nothing if she just laid there.

 

If Tyrann wasn’t a heavy sleeper, he’d probably be complaining about her getting up, too. The absence of plucky commentary was welcome.

 

Kainé’s schedule when it came to getting ready every day was fairly simple. She threw on her freshly washed clothes, slipped on her heels, put her weapons to her back, and braided her hair with precision and care. It didn’t take long, as she wasn’t the type of girl who spent an hour in the bedroom figuring out how she should present herself. She quite literally wore the same outfit every day. After making sure she was all ready, she took one last look at her room and stepped outside, stretching in the hallway to try to get herself to really wake up.

 

There was still time before the wedding would take place, she knew that from the clock on the hallway’s wall. Maybe she’d go out hunting for a bit, or—

 

“Oh, Kainé.”

 

Kainé turned to see Nier, who was similarly dressed in his usual attire (like her), but was completely awake (unlike her). He held a cup in his hands that contained a dark brown liquid, steam rising from it rapidly, and she had no idea how he could down a hot liquid when they were in the middle of the desert.

 

“Mornin’.” Nier smiled at her, “The prince prepared breakfast downstairs for all of us, and it’s more or less a feast. You should pick something up.” He said, taking a sip from his cup and holding it close to his lips after.

  
Kainé stared at him and pointed, “Coffee?” She herself wasn’t a fan of any beverage that wasn’t water or beer, and she thought Nier to be the same up until this point.

 

Nier looked down and grinned, “You’ll laugh at me for this, but it’s actually hot chocolate.”

 

“Huh? What are you, a kid?”

 

Not taken back by her jab, he continued, “It’s something my wife used to do, actually. She’d make hot chocolate in the mornings because she thought it tasted better than coffee beans. I’ve still got an affinity for it, so I make it for myself, sometimes.”

 

Oh, now _that_ made her feel like a piece of shit. Kainé stood awkwardly and silently for a moment, too embarrassed to apologize to him. Then, she asked, her voice coming out quieter than she wanted, “Did you like bein’ married? Was it worth it?”

 

“Huh?”

 

"You know what I said, dammit.”

 

Now Nier was the silent one, staring at Kainé like he didn’t even know her. Which made sense, because there were almost no moments when she cared about anything at all. But he quickly recollected himself despite this anomaly and gave her a nod, “Yeah. Every day was like a miracle to me, and I kept that miracle alive taking care of Yonah like she’d want me to. I miss it more than I think I do, honestly. Emil askin’ me stuff about our wedding yesterday made me feel nostalgic, so maybe that’s why I decided to make hot chocolate today… To honor her, or us, or something.”

 

The way he smiled at the ceramic cup he held could make even the most evil of shades freeze in its tracks with how warm and honest it was. Kainé, meanwhile, was nearly baffled by how open he was being. She’d almost forgotten he was really just a dad at the end of the day, and tried to forget all that she’d seen from him in battle since they’d gotten together. She made herself look past all the enemies they had slain together and trials they’d overcome— if not for Yonah’s sickness and his dedication to his family, they would have never met. Everything they’ve done together was for Yonah’s sake.

 

All because he was a doting dad. All because he loved his daughter and had loved his wife. It was sweet, really. Maybe too sweet for Kainé to handle.

 

Kainé took what he said and kept it in her heart, then turned slightly to indicate their conversation was closing, “What was her name? Your wife.” She asked, not being able to look at him any longer.

 

Nier paused, like he was debating about telling her it. Yet, he soon responded with his voice coming out soft, gentle,

 

 

“...Yorha."

 

 

The way he said it was like it was precious porcelain that would break if he was too forceful, too loud with her name, and if he wasn’t so frustrated about losing his daughter he’d probably say Yonah’s name like that, too,

 

 

“From the moment we met, I was floored. She lived next door alone, and was helpful around town. She’d show me how to plant vegetables in my garden, and I would invite her over just so I could watch her do it, ask her to take me by the hand and show me how she did what she did. She saw through me right away, obviously, but never rejected me either. I thought she was playin’ me for an idiot until a few years later when she suddenly asked me why I hadn’t proposed to her yet. Heh… Some part of me just felt like it was fate, loving her.”

 

 

She heard him take another sip from his mug, then chuckle,

 

 

“I can’t make this as good as she used to.”

 

 

The way he said it was so sweet, yet there was so much hurt lying underneath.

 

 

And then that was all Kainé could withstand, really.

 

She put her hand up casually and began walking down the hall in the opposite direction of where the breakfast was being served, of where Nier was standing. As he went to tell her she was going the wrong way, she dismissed him with a casual, “I’m gonna go out for a minute. Nice talk, Nier. Enjoy your drink.” And without any protest, she walked to the end of the short hallway they stood in and opened a glass door had a balcony on the other side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
The sun shining on the stone platform beneath her feet was so bright that her eyes burned when she first stepped outside, but she soon squinted away the floaters in her eyes and sighed; both with the relief of getting away from a conversation that was bound to turn more awkward than it already was, and with the relief of the new environment where she could relax privately in (she’d rather be up and ready than in her nightgown and laying in a bed). She’d seen the location she stood in the night before and made note to check it out, and it was certainly a good choice on her part.

 

Kainé took closed the glass door behind her and stared out at the vast sea of sand that the particular balcony she chose overlooked, it being on the opposite side of the city. Even if Fyra was the queen now, even if everyone insisted she’d be alright, she didn’t like showing up in front of others. It was less stress on her if she was separated, like she’d always been. She’d get food some other time or go hunting by herself later, and wouldn’t bother with breakfast.

 

Now that she had time alone to herself again before the wedding ceremony started, and the same topic was still on her mind since yesterday. It had gotten to the point where she embarrassed herself in front of Nier over it asking questions. Why now, out of all times, was she having an identity crisis? Why did she want to know so much about marriage?

 

Was your ability to love someone something you could know about before a meaningful relationship took place?

 

 

   
_“(But I was very happy. In my heart I knew it was fate.)”_

_  
“Some part of me just felt like it was fate, loving her.”_

  

 

Fyra’s and Nier’s words jumped around in her head. Fate. They’d described their situations as fate. What was her fate? Could her fate be merciful? Could she be fated to a peaceful life after the whole Shadowlord ordeal?

 

Was she fated to get married like those around her were?

 

She put her backhand to her chin and propped herself up on the balcony’s stone railing, relaxing her shoulders and bending down slightly so she could get comfortable. “Gettin’ married, huh…” She murmured, the breeze whipping up sand dozens of feet beneath her.

 

**_D’awww. Listen to that awe and wonder return._ **

 

“Tyrann, shut up.” Kaine spat, the shade’s voice infiltrating her thoughts once more as she was trying to have a meaningful moment. She thought he’d be asleep for at least a while longer.

 

**_Possibly fantasizing about the big guy back there after he dazzled you with his beautiful smile? 5 years didn’t do him any good— he looks like shit. Maybe the eyepatch is cool, but it looks like some kinky S &M stuff, too. And it’d be barely legal for you and him to fuck, but maybe they don’t have the same rules here in this sandy hell hole. You could probably get him drunk tonight after the wedding and—_ **

 

Kainé pinched her bandaged arm before he could finish, and Tyrann hissed, annoyed. She simply scowled, “ _Goddammit_ , I hate you.”

 

Then, after a period of silence, Kainé exhaled, “Emil has a crush on him. I’m not gonna break the kid’s heart. And you’ve heard how he talks about his wife.” It sounded like a confirmation of love on her end, but in truth she did not mean it that way. It _was_ true, however, that Emil did have a crush on Nier, which he confessed by the fire the other day before the two misfits went to sleep together. (She promised him she wouldn’t tell another soul about it after she’d properly teased about it enough, but did Tyrann count? She was pretty sure he didn't.) Not to mention the obvious fact that Nier didn’t look like he wanted to remarry in the slightest— he seemed to speak about his wife like she was a goddess, like they were still married even after death.

 

Which was admirable, in its own way.

 

Tyrann, however, only focused on the Emil part of the dilemma,

 

_**Oh, my God, what are you, a saint? Emil’s a fuckin’ skeleton. And he’s like, what, 10? Possibly forever?** _

 

Her reservations were out of respect, not practicality. “Tyrann, I said shut up.” She repeated, spotting a few wolves on the horizon and taking her last extra knife from the day before to toss at them, watching them disperse at the sight of a newly dead ally.

 

If only she was as good at figuring out how she felt like she was with throwing knives. Her life would be so much simpler.

 

_**Cry me a river.** _

 

Kainé rolled her eyes, “I could drown us in one when we leave here.”

 

When Tyrann spoke no more, maybe out of laziness or intimidation, she continued her thinking, grateful he appeared to be giving her space. She’d go hunting later to reward him for not being too much of a piece of shit.

 

Marriage. She’d never thought about it before outside of these two days— well, no, she had, that was a lie. But she had never entertained the thought since the time she was younger, more insecure. As a child and young teenager, she couldn’t even imagine anyone actually wanting to marry her, to hold her, especially with her body the way it was. She had always pushed the thought down and away from her mind, so, so far down, and only coming to think about it now after all these years.

 

Maybe that’s why the idea intrigued her and caught her off guard so much.

 

She rolled over the previous phrase in her mind. _Especially with the way her body was._ Everything had always come back to that for as long as she could remember. That was the whole reason she was thinking so much now! It all stemmed from her body issues, or, rather, the issues with her body. Who could love her with such a terrible form?

 

…

 

Well...

 

She remembered there were some around her who loved already.

 

The dumb, headstrong, ragtag group she had always been so dedicated to was a good example. Nier and Weiss knew about her circumstances because of how much those of the Aerie loved to ruin her life with gossip, and she had already confided in Emil about such things to make him feel better about his… Form… a while ago.

 

Yet none mocked her.

 

And for those outside of the Aerie and the group, they thought of her just as another hero with no problems about her other than her mouth. Fyra had called her a “wonderful woman” yesterday, something that made Kainé want to hug her right there.

 

 _Hell_ , Fyra assumed Kainé had already gotten hitched, and that was a big compliment within itself.

 

And then her Grandma, as well…

 

It was oddly satisfying to be treated like a normal human being, to not be looked at or scrutinized or treated like a monster.

 

To be just another person.

 

Kainé exhaled a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. Surely, her companions and acquaintances couldn’t be the only ones around who remained so humane. There had to be others out there who would accept her as well, who would love her beyond her physical appearance.

 

She would want to marry a person like that. Hell, she’d go hunting for a spouse with that type of personality criteria in mind. _Has to be open to dating a half shade intersex girl, and also like killing things_. There definitely had to be at least one person in the world who met that to a T, and she’d go searching for them.

 

But she was willing to let it happen naturally, too. There was the Shadowlord to deal with now, and that was more important. If it was fate for her to be married, it could be possible that that person could come to her, and she would feel it, like Nier and Fyra did, and know. It was that simple.

 

She wasn’t in a rush, truly.

 

In this moment, Kainé almost felt satisfied with herself, satisfied that she had learned to somehow understand what she wanted in the face of all the things happening around her. Before, as a child and after she had become half shade, she used to think _Nobody will want me because of how I am_ , but gradually she had come to think _I just need to come across the person who will accept me._ She just hadn’t noticed the change until she stood upon that balcony and was left alone with her own thoughts after it being brought to her attention.

 

She could just be herself, she realized. If she knew people who loved her now even with how she was, then that meant there had to be more people out there in the world like that.

 

And maybe that was the biggest satisfaction of it all.

 

Kainé felt her face, _Wow, this is like some cheesy kid’s book crap._ She thought, shaking the smile on her face.

 

_**You’re literally killing me here, sunshine.** _

 

“Ooh. Good.” Kainé mocked Tyrann, forgetting about his being for a moment in her state of happiness, “Don’t worry, I still have plenty I’m angry about besides my body, you know. And I’m sure there’ll be plenty of things that’ll get me pissed off if I get hitched.”

 

_**Like housewife work?** _

 

Kainé grimaced, “Fuck that. Shit, I gotta get someone rich so I ain’t workin’.”

 

_**Wonder if the king’s got a royal friend who’s interested in a foreigner skamp.** _

 

“Oh, hold the fuck on, ‘skamp’?! I—”

 

“Kainé! The ceremony’s gonna start soon!” Emil’s voice rang out as something knocked against the glass of the balcony door, startling Kainé out of her thoughts and argument with Tyrann. She turned around to see Emil bouncing in the air with excitement on the other side of the glass. Did she really waste that much time outside thinking? She’d start feeling like a damn intellectual soon enough if that kept up.

 

_**Hey, if it ain’t the skeleton himself.** _

 

Ignoring Tyrann’s commentary, Kainé walked over to unlock and open the door, and the child on the other side nearly exploded with his excitement, fidgeting like a madman. He quietly backed up so Kainé could step inside, and immediately he began his series of questions,

 

 

“We were looking for you! Everything’s almost ready! Did you eat breakfast? Did you see that girl’s outfit for the ceremony? She said you saved her once, is that true?”

 

 

She told him she didn’t, said she saw it yesterday, and told him she did save her once,

 

 

"Her dress looked really pretty didn’t it? And the prince’s outfit— well, I guess he’ll be king now, that’s cool, too, but I wonder why he can show his face but she can’t? Is it a royalty thing? Isn’t it crazy how he might not know how her face looks even though he’s marrying her?”

 

 

Kainé agreed with his first question but had no idea how to respond to the others so quickly, so she decided to walk past Emil and direct _him_ to the main event’s entrance where he followed quickly, continuing,

 

 

“And what do you think about everything else? I think the language here is kind of cool. I wonder if Weiss could teach me it. Maybe you can speak to the girl directly that way. Oh, wait, I should call her the queen, right? Oh, do you think we’ll be able to come back here all the time since you guys are friends with the king and queen? Can we sleep in the castle all the time?”

 

 

Before Kainé could tell him to slow down with all he was asking, Emil tried to repeat something the King said earlier in the native tongue, but his accent was horrible. The attempt made her chuckle and Emil gasp at her amusement, embarrassed, and he quit asking questions. If he could pout, he’d probably be doing that then.

 

Kainé extended a hand to him, “You’re way too excited about this whole damn thing.” She said in a teasing manner.

 

Emil bounced in the air again, taking her hand. He giggled to himself, “Well, yeah! I’ve never been to a wedding before, and it’s exciting! I wanna get married someday, too. In the future. I’m too young right now obviously, and I gotta find someone who likes skeletons...”

 

Kainé grinned, “Well, join the club. I’ll be with you to find that Mr. Right, so you’ll have to find someone for me, too.” She joked, and Emil giggled again.

 

“We can have our weddings together then!”

 

“Let’s not get pushy. My ceremony’s gonna have a shitton of beer, and I’m gonna chug it like the day after’s a myth. And I ain’t sharin’.”

 

 

And the two strode out to the main event, Kainé grinning like she’d been proposed to.

**Author's Note:**

> I said this would be headcanon heavy and I was not lying. Specifically one of my big headcanons is that Nier's wife is named Yorha because I honestly find that idea to be very good (everything that relates to Nier has negative aspects, the android organization of automata being named after his wife out of irony or maybe respect to the original leader of the gestalt project).
> 
> I wanted to write something where it was just Kainé learning about herself. I tried to put a fun spin on it and so I hope it came out good. Comments/Kudos are appreciated~


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